Gifted
by UnoriginalToast
Summary: Roy Mustang sends his nephews to the local school where a certain teacher finds out just how special the kids are. The four of them grow close as Roy struggles to raise two gifted children in the shadow of a divided country. Unfortunately, they're not the only ones who notice the boys' abilities, and they find themselves fighting for themselves, their family, and their way of life.
1. Chapter 1

_If you haven't seen the new(ish) movie, Gifted, you should because it's awesome! And this idea kinda came out of nowhere, but I wrote a quick first chapter. I love the idea of parental!Roy and young!Ed and Al! I hope you like it! Do let me know if this is something ya'll'd be interested in! FYI, this is set in the same world with the same parameters as FMA, but it's just putting the characters in a different situation._

* * *

Roy Mustang opened his bedroom door, and found that the living room couch was on fire.

Sighing heavily, and without missing a beat, he grabbed a bucket sitting off to the side and tossed it on the couch. The flames were extinguished and replaced by a new hole, which was not quite as big as some of the holes in the couch, but also not noticeable. The man then walked to the kitchen, refilled the bucket, and put it back where he'd gotten it.

"Edward! Alphonse!" He called and moved along the hallway to the second bedroom, which the boys shared. There was a murmur and then shushing, and it appeared the children thought they could hide. Roy shook his head. These kids could set a couch on fire, but didn't understand they couldn't hide from him in his own home.

"I'm going to count to three," Roy warned. "One…" There was a shuffling noise, and then a thud. A voice he recognized as Edward's, the eldest, whispered harshly to who he assumed was Alphonse.

"Two…"

Alphonse whined back and pled his case. Roy let the last vowel sound of the word linger in the air for a long moment.

As he pushed his tongue to the roof of his mouth for the first sounds of the next word, the door burst open and out stumbled two young boys. One had light blonde hair that reached just below his ears and wore a scowl on his face. That hair was getting long, Roy noted, and he would have to fight over getting it cut again. The younger boy had short, slightly darker, but still blonde hair and looked extremely worried.

"I'm sorry, Uncle Roy, we didn't mean to!" Alphonse blurted out immediately and Edward ribbed him in the side.

"Come on, Al, we don't admit to anything until we have to!"

Roy rolled his eyes and gestured to the smoldering, wet couch. "I think you have to. We'll talk about this later, alright? Just get dressed so I can get you to school."

The boys both pouted. Although Alphonse was good at keeping his feelings to himself when they were disagreeable, he too was not fond of the idea of going to school. The boys were eight and seven, and Roy had homeschooled them as long as he'd been able to. He was a good teacher, but he also worked for the military branch in their small town and he was quickly moving up the ladder. He simply didn't have the time to teach them. Besides, they boys only had each other and him. They needed social interaction.

"We've been talking..." Edward started and Roy raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?" This was bound to be another negotiation.

"Yeah, and we think that, you know, we don't need to go to school. We're pretty smart, so we were thinking, hey, why don't we just go get a job now?" Roy pursed his lips thinly and nodded, as though he actually thought that idea would work. "We could join the military and become a State Alchemist, like you!" Alphonse nodded. So, they had talked about this.

Of all the things Roy wanted for his sister's children, becoming a State Alchemist was not one of them. She had been one too, and that was what killed her. Not in the line of battle, but by her own hand after the horrors of what she'd seen and done became too much. Roy himself didn't like being a State Alchemist, but it put food on the table.

That was why he really wanted to get the kids into school. He probably shouldn't have taught them so much alchemy, but there wasn't much he could do when they'd go to the library and come back with stacks upon stacks of books. Being children, they were lacking in actual skill, but they probably knew more about theory than even he did.

They also needed to learn how to actually be children. After their mother died, they grew up so fast, despite Roy's best efforts. Their heads were filled with being great and learning as much as they could, so they declined requests from the neighbors to go play and eventually they stopped getting any at all. The kids, of course didn't mind and they didn't want to go to school. If he stuck them in a room for eight hours a day with a bunch of books on Alchemy, they'd be perfectly happy.

But, Roy also didn't have time to argue, because they were running late. So, he shoved the boys back into their room to get changed. "Yeah, okay. How about this, I'll go to work and ask about it and you'll go to school anyway, okay?"

"You'll really ask?" Alphonse asked excitedly, his gold eyes shining with excitement. Roy sighed.

"Uh, yeah, sure. But don't hold your breath. They're slow around there, so plan on being in school, okay?"

Thankfully, that seemed to shut them up and they changed, ate, and began the short walk into the town center where the school was. It was a small town, comprised of lots of houses spread out over the countryside, and a bundle of buildings that created the main street. Everyone knew each other, from their names to their children's names, right down to where they worked.

So, when Roy turned the corner into the school yard, he was surprised to see a blonde haired woman with amber eyes ushering kids into the small schoolhouse. He'd never seen her before, though he also hadn't been into town in a while. He was certainly not caught up on the latest gossip. He also wasn't exactly popular in town. First, being part of the military made people suspicious about him especially in a rural town with few other military members. And, Roy was an aloof person. Even if he wasn't in the military, he wouldn't spend much time at the bars or in town.

But, he wanted to get to know this woman. She was tall and very beautiful, and Roy wanted to turn on the charm and ask her when heaven dropped off an angel.

"Hey, Roy, are we gonna get to set any shit on fire?" Edward asked, breaking Roy of his thoughts. He glanced down at the boy and glared. Perhaps he could wait to make a move when his nephews were not there.

"No. Don't even think about it Edward, or I swear to God, I'll string you up by your toes and set your ass-"

"You must be Colonel Mustang." Suddenly the woman who he'd been admiring was standing right next to him, glancing between him and the boys with curiosity and amusement.

"... Back down and give you lots of hugs," Roy finished slowly. "Uh, yes that's me. Just Roy is fine." He stuck his hand out and the woman shook it, hiding a laugh. "I don't believe I've seen you in town."

"I moved last week to teach at the school. My name is Riza Hawkeye." The woman responded and smiled at the boys. "This must be Edward and Alphonse Elric, right?"

"Nice to meet you, Miss Hawkeye," Roy said and shoved the boys forward. "Yes, these are my nephews. They're… a handful. Especially the one with the longer hair." Edward glared at him and Roy glared right back. "They can be a little difficult."

"I'm sure they can't be too bad." Miss Hawkeye replied politely.

"No, not terrible, but I'd rather they _are going to be on their best behavior._ " He emphasized the last part of his sentence while glaring down at Edward. He'd told the boys a thousand times they were not to use any alchemy in school, but nothing they did convinced the man they were actually going to listen to him. He wasn't completely worried about Alphonse, but Edward had a tendency to drag him into trouble. "I just want them to learn their numbers, make some friends, and be normal kids."

"Well, I think we can do that." Riza smiled.

"Good, much appreciated, Miss Hawkeye. Please do let me know if they manage to get into any trouble," Roy said. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't expecting a few phone calls during the first couple of weeks.

"Of course. Alright, boys, let's get to class." Roy had to push them forward, but reluctantly, they went. Edward looked back, trying to see if maybe his uncle would change his mind at the last minute, but Roy just smiled and waved. With a sigh and a pout, Edward turned back around and marched into the school.

Roy felt a sense of emptiness as he watched the boys go. Since Tricia died, it had just been them, and now the boys were in school. He would miss the days of homeschooling and teaching them the very basics of Alchemy, but they'd progressed so quickly. Too quickly, he felt, and it was too late to stop them from learning, but perhaps he could slow them down with some real schooling. And, if he got very lucky, the boys would find something else to throw themselves into.

He sighed and turned around, walking along the path to the building that housed a small military outpost. He really hoped the boys wouldn't get in trouble. But, then again, he knew he had a better chance of the Fuhrer himself appointing him King than his two nephews not managing to make a mess.


	2. Chapter 2

_I got a lot of great responses to this story, so I'm really excited to keep continuing it! It's okay if you haven't seen the movie-I'm just borrowing ideas and scenes from it and mixing them into the FMA universe. Also, if you're looking for more RoyAi action, check out my other story, The Burning Queen. Thanks again! Enjoy!_

* * *

Edward thought that the classroom was too bright. The big window was open to let in the late summer air, which also let in the sunlight, and the sunlight crashed against the painted yellow walls. Arts and crafts littered the room, and there were almost no blank spaces. And, the young boy thought, the art really wasn't very good. Of course, he wasn't exactly artistically gifted so he couldn't do much better, but he also figured he'd never want it displayed like that.

The room was a typical elementary classroom, with the desks pushed together in five groups of four, and a large plush, rainbow rug underneath. There was a chalkboard that covered the wall by the teacher's desk, a reading corner with two bookshelves full of books, and posters with things like the table of elements and classroom rules on them around the room.

The other kids milled around and talked to each other, as they'd known each other for nearly their whole lives. Most of the kids lived close to the center of town and had also been going to the school for a few years. Edward and Alphonse sat in the back of the room, flipping through some children's books they picked up in the reading corner.

"Look, brother," Alphonse smiled as he picked up a thin square book with a colorful picture of a young girl on it. "The Little Alchemist. We haven't read this one."

"Finally, a decent book!" Edward snatched it out of his brother's hands and started to flip through it. With every passed page, his frown grew deeper. "Ugh, Al, this is shit. Look, this kid makes a puppy out of thin air. That's not even how Alchemy works! Who wrote this? I'm going to write a letter and complain!"

"It might just be a children's book, Edward," Alphonse said shyly, not wanting his brother to get all worked up.

"It's still irresponsible to teach kids you can create puppies out of nowhere. Where are the laws? The theories? The basic principles?" Edward threw the book onto the ground. "Besides, this is all kid's stuff anyway. Where's a real library?"

"We get our books from the library in town. I apologize if they're not to your liking."

The boys jumped and turned around to see Miss Hawkeye standing over them. She'd likely been there for a while, watching the boys go back and forth with an amused look on her face. She knew the minute she walked in and saw them sitting in the dark corner by themselves, they'd be her biggest handful.

"Is there anything other than children's books around here?" Edward asked, raising his eyebrow. He tried to present himself as being much more mature than he was, as though children's books were absolutely beneath him. Then again, at home, he and Al were reading texts that even some college students wouldn't be able to touch.

"Seeing as this is a children's school and you two are children yourselves, no, we usually just borrow from the children's section." Riza smiled back, attempting to not show her annoyance. "What kinds of books are you looking for?"

"Alch-" Edward started, but Alphonse elbowed him in the ribs. "Uh, anything else," he corrected himself. "We stopped reading kids books a long time ago."

Riza was suspicious of what Edward was originally going to say but decided not to press it. "I'll see if I can find anything for you two, then," she said. She was used to advanced readers. She'd never had many in her classes, as she tended to travel around to poorer areas to teach, but the few she'd had made her realize the need for more challenging materials. Perhaps there were some high school books she could grab for them. She made a note to talk to their uncle later, so she would have a better understanding of what might interest them and keep their attention. Besides, she figured, a child was better off reading ahead than being entirely bored with school. "For now, class is starting. Come on."

The boys slunk over to their table which they shared with two girls, one with blonde hair and one with black hair. The blonde haired girl, Winry, the name tag said, was obviously from town, but the black haired girl, Mei looked to be an immigrant from a different country. They smiled at the boys and said hi, and Alphonse reciprocated the greeting, but Edward remained silent. Winry opened her mouth to ask why Edward wasn't being friendly because it was clearly written on the classroom rules poster that being friendly was mandatory, but the Miss Hawkeye was starting class.

For the boys, the day was boring. The kids went around the room and introduced themselves, which Edward thought was stupid. Then, they did arts and crafts, which was also stupid, and they did story time which, again, was stupid. Edward wanted nothing more than to go home and bury himself in some real books and learn more about Alchemy. But here he was, stuck reading some book about a girl who gets eaten by a wolf. Yawn.

And then, finally, science class. It wasn't quite alchemy, but they were learning about chemical compounds and make-ups. When they received a sheet explaining the chemical makeup water, though, the boys exchanged a glance. Water? Really? And apparently, they were going to spend a whole week on just this one property! Miss Hawkeye wanted to go through everything so slowly, and Edward didn't think he could stand it.

"Miss Hawkeye!" Edward raised his hand and stood up. The woman stopped mid sentence and looked at him.

"Edward, you know you must raise your hand quietly and wait to be called on," she scolded lightly. It was still the first day, after all, and didn't want the kids to become afraid of her, so she wasn't going to just punish immediately. But, she also wanted to have some order in her classroom.

"I'm sorry Miss Hawkeye, but there has to be a mistake. We're not really spending a whole week on water, are we? Everyone knows about water! Two hydrogens and an oxygen. There. Done."

Riza looked surprised. "Well, we are going to go through each element one by one and discuss its atomic symbol, number, mass, melting and boiling points, and-"

Edward cut her off with a sigh. "Hydrogen, atomic number one, symbol is H."

"Yes, but there's more to learn about it." Riza was getting irritated.

"Atomic mass is 1.00794. Melting point is negative 259.14 degrees Celsius. The boiling point is negative 252.87 degrees Celsius. It was one Proton and no Neutrons. It's also the lightest element. Can we move on now?"

"Brother, you forgot that it's a colorless non-metal," Alphonse chimed in. "You always forget that." Edward just rolled his eyes and looked over at Riza, who was staring at him with shock. She then regrouped herself and narrowed her eyes.

"Yes, well not everyone knows this. And then we'll learn more about chemical makeups and how different elements form chemicals. Do you know all of that?" The class looked at Edward and the teacher in awe. "What about the chemical makeup of Acetylene?"

"Two carbons and two hydrogens," Edward responded immediately.

"Okay, what about acetonitrile?"

"Two carbons, three hydrogens, and a nitrogen." Alphonse chimed in.

That's it, she had to get control of the class back. "How about amoxicillin?"

The boys paused for a moment and after a beat, she turned to her desk. "See? We don't all know everything." She turned back to the class and pointed to the worksheet. "Anyway, as you can see on your sheet, the chemical makeup of water is-"

"Sixteen carbon, nineteen hydrogens, three nitrogen, five oxygen, and…" Edward closed his eyes, then opened them again. "A sulfur."

"And it's average mass is 365.404," Alphonse added.

Miss Hawkeye looked at the boys, her eyes wide with shock. No, that couldn't be right, they were just daring her not to look it up. She set her sheet on her desk and grabbed another chart. She flipped through two pages and landed on the part about Amoxicillin.

"That's… correct." She whispered to herself and then looked back at the boys. When their uncle said they'd be a handful, she never imagined like this. She'd never met children so young who knew so much about science, or anything really.

Edward looked smug and the kids gazed at him with awe. But, Alphonse, much more intuitive than his brother, tugged on his sleeve to sit down. "Come on, brother, let's just pay attention. We might learn something new." Edward muttered something like 'doubt it,' but sat and started working on his worksheet. Riza stared for a moment longer and then decided to let it go, but filed it away so she would remember to discuss this with their uncle.

* * *

Finally, after a whole day of being stuck in the school, class was let out for the day. The kids stormed the front of the building and then spread out into the front yard. Some ran straight to their parents while others played tag, waiting for theirs to come by. Edward and Alphonse, however, spotted their uncle and immediately ran over to him.

"Alright, we did a day of school. Are we good now?" Edward asked, looking up at him with big eyes. He was hoping they would just go for a day and then Roy would change his mind.

"Did the military say whether or not we could join?" Alphonse asked immediately after.

Roy blinked in surprise at the questions and shook his head in amusement. "First, no, they're not taking anyone under ten," Roy said with a smirk, as though he'd actually asked. "And school is a whole nine-month commitment. There are breaks in there too, of course, but you guys are still going to go."

They pouted. "Come on, Uncle Roy." Edward frowned. "It's so boring. We already know everything. The books are stupid, and the kids don't know anything, and we're spending a whole week learning about water. Water, Uncle Roy. We learned about water five years ago."

Roy just sighed and placed a hand on the boy's head. "Can't you two just try to be normal for a few hours a day? Come on. What did you do at recess?"

"We read books," Alphonse smiled.

"But there's nothing good," Edward pouted. "It's all baby books."

"Well, I'm sure there's something you'll learn that you didn't know before and that I can't teach you myself. Anyway, let's head home. Do you guys have homework?"

"We did, but brother and I finished it during science class," Alphonse replied.

"You do know the point of homework is to do it at home, right?" Roy raised an eyebrow.

"It didn't take too long," Edward said. "It was just a couple math pages."

"Excuse me, Colonel Mustang?" As Roy turned to head down the road back to their home, he heard a voice behind him. Turning back around towards the school, he saw Miss Hawkeye standing there. She wore a brown skirt with a white blouse and her blonde hair reached just past her shoulders. She looked absolutely proper and nodded to him politely.

"Uh, yes. Miss… Hawkeye, was it?" Roy asked. "I hope the boys didn't give you any trouble."

"I actually wanted to talk about Edward and Alphonse, just briefly." She said and glanced at the boys who were looking up at her. "In private." She gestured for Roy to follow her and his face turned just the slightest bit red. He glared over at the boys, and they knew that if the discussion was anything less than outstanding, they'd be getting an earful on the way home.

"Look, Miss Hawkeye I'm so sorry-" Roy started as he stepped out of earshot of the boys. She held up a hand to silence him and gave him a friendly smile.

"You really weren't kidding about them?" She asked and chuckled. "Colonel, where did those boys get such a grasp on… well, everything? They're at a high school reading level, and they know advanced math and science. The only thing they struggle with is art."

Roy awkwardly rubbed his shoulder. He'd really hoped the boys could at least pretend to be typical kids for a day. "They've been studying since they were old enough to walk." He explained. "Their mother was incredibly smart. She was reading the kids math textbooks as bedtime stories. And then they came to live with me and got interested in some of the stuff I do for work." He paused, trying to find his wording. He didn't want to admit to being a State Alchemist, but that would also explain their grasp on science.

"How much do they know?" Riza asked, wanting to be absolutely sure this time that she knew what she was dealing with.

Roy shrugged. "A lot of math and science, especially physics and chemistry," he said. "Their reading comprehension is outstanding too. I taught them what they needed to know for their age while I homeschooled them, but they spent the rest of their time reading textbooks from the library."

"That's amazing," Riza breathed. "They're by far the most advanced students I've ever known."

"I'm sorry if they sort of took over. Edward especially can be a little arrogant. We're working on it."

"Have you ever considered sending them to Central?" Riza asked after a moment. "They might fit in at a gifted school. It would be a little less boring for them. They'd have advanced teachers and peers and-"

"Gifted? No," the Colonel cut her off. "The only thing those boys are gifted at is driving me insane. Listen, I think you're right, they're a little cocky and a little bored, but I'll talk to them about it."

"With all due respect, you really can't talk someone out of boredom," the teacher frowned.

"Well, yes, but I can make them a little less rude about it." Roy shrugged. "Look, I just want them to have a normal life. Going to the city and studying at some big fancy school? That's not normal. I can't say I know what their mother would want, but I really don't think she'd want them being ogled at in some rich kid school. She'd want them to play and run and just be kids."

Riza thought about challenging him for a moment, but when she looked into his eyes, she saw real honesty. He just wanted what was best for the kids, and truly thought this was best. And, she could tell, that the boys were smarter than any kids she'd taught, but they were also very behind socially. Maybe the man was right. The boys needed a normal life, at least for now.

"Well, I just want you to know that I know many people in the city who could help them get into a good school," She said kindly. "But I do think the boys will do well here, if only for a few years. Though, I hope someday you'll consider otherwise."

Roy smiled over at her. He was beyond grateful she understood because not many did. The very few people he'd talked to about the boys all said the same thing-send them to the city. But, he couldn't bring himself to do that. Her validation made him feel very confident in his decisions.

"Thank you, Miss Hawkeye," Roy said, sticking out his hand. "Anyway, if you're ever free on a Saturday night, I know this great place in town that-"

Riza shook his hand and returned a very polite smile. "You're welcome. I look forward to seeing the boys tomorrow." And then she turned and walked back to the school without any response to Roy's thinly veiled offer of a date.

He turned back to the boys, both who looked a little fearful, and grabbed their hands as they began to walk.

"Are we in trouble, Uncle Roy?" Alphonse asked timidly about halfway into their walk.

"No," he said. "But guys, please. Normal tomorrow, got it?"

Edward smirked at Roy. "But we have you for an uncle," he said in a teasing voice, "How could we ever be normal?"


	3. Chapter 3

_This is my favorite little "fun" story to write and is a lovely break from the angst I ususally indulge in. So, enjoy some adorableness!_

* * *

The days turned into weeks and the weeks into a few months. The boys continued to go to school, though every now and then they would suggest that they not have to go anymore, but Roy was quick to turn them down. Having the boys in school had been great because he was able to get more work done, the house was cleaner, and he had the peace of mind that the boys were interacting with individuals other than themselves. Oh, and not having things randomly set on fire all the time was a lovely bonus.

Riza couldn't convince Roy to send the boys to a better, more equipped school. What she could do, though, was try to mitigate the boredom the boys experienced while she kept the other kids engaged with age-appropriate materials. While they still had to suffer through lessons, she would give them extra activity worksheets borrowed from the local high school and also brought over some books from their library. They, in turn, were much better behaved and less likely to interrupt the class. After Riza gave them the extra work, they stopped complaining about school so much.

It was mid fall, and the air still held warmth, though the creeping cool of winter was making its way in. The boys had been in school for around two months and everyone was settling into a routine. On this particular day, Edward and Alphonse were finishing up the periodic table worksheet Riza had given them and were ready to start solving chemical equations. It was a little far from Riza's own understanding, but she'd taken out some books on the subject and talked to some teachers for older students and had enough of a grasp between correct and incorrect. Besides, the boys didn't need her help in figuring anything out.

The class had just been dismissed for recess, but the boys still sat at their desks. They turned over their papers and pulled out some of the books Riza had gotten for them from the high school. Riza watched them for a moment, wondering if they would join the other kids today. But, as usual, they didn't. They were so smart and had come so far in their learning, but they were still way behind in the one area that Roy sent them to school for.

"Wouldn't you rather go outside?" asked the teacher as she stood and made her way over to their desks. She leaned her hands down on the desks opposite them and shifted some weight onto them. "It's probably one of the last nice days before winter really starts."

Edward didn't even look up, but Alphonse was polite enough to glance at the teacher and shrug. "No thank you, Miss Hawkeye," he said. "Brother and I like reading. It makes you smarter. Besides, wouldn't most adults say we should always be reading instead of playing?" He asked the question innocently, and Riza knew he meant no malice or sarcasm by it.

"Well, yes, but playing is also important," She reasoned. "You know your uncle really wants you to make friends."

Edward shrugged, still not looking up from the book. "We already are friends. My brother and I. And I think we're doing pretty good. Uncle Roy just likes to be a pain."

"I think he's only a pain because he cares," Riza replied knowingly. She stood and turned, glancing out at the yard where the kids were playing. "It looks like there's a lovely game of tag going on. Why don't you both go play?"

"But if we go play now, we won't finish our books as quickly as we could if we stayed here," Alphonse reasoned. Riza sighed. So, she was going to have to do this the hard way.

"Alright, guys here's the deal." She said, placing her hands on her hips. Hearing the edge in her voice, both boys instantly looked up, their books forgotten as they wondered why they were in trouble for reading of all things! "You two need to play with your classmates. So, let's make a deal. Two days a week, you can stay in and read or work on chemical equations, or schoolwork, or whatever you want to do. But three days a week, you have to go and play with the kids at recess. Your lunches are your choice, but three days for recess, got it?"

Both kids frowned. Edward looked like he wanted to negotiate or argue, but there was a glint in her eye that made him feel like anything other than a 'yes' would end up with him getting shot. The brothers looked at each other, both realizing there was no way they couldn't agree to this offer. It was also rather generous as it stood. At least they got to have some days inside with their books.

"Fine," they mumbled and placed a bookmark in their books. Riza smirked. Sometimes she wondered if being a teacher was right for her. She had such a diverse skillset that it seemed teaching was a little below her. But, she was good at negotiating with kids, even when they were difficult.

The boys made their way out to the school yard and then just stood there. Children played around them, so wrapped up in their games that they didn't even notice their classmates come outside. Edward and Alphonse exchanged a glance, and Alphonse shrugged.

"I don't think we're doing this right, brother," He said and then curiously looked around. It didn't seem to be what Miss Hawkeye meant when she told them to go outside and play.

"Whatever," Edward rolled his eyes. "She told us to go outside, we're outside."

They both knew that wasn't what she meant, but Alphonse didn't feel like arguing and was also too shy to go up to anyone. He was about to go sit down by the wall when Winry came over and tapped Edward on the shoulder. He turned around to yell at her, but she blurted in his face, "Tag! You're it!" and ran off.

The older brother stopped and stared. He'd never played tag before and didn't know what to do. From what he could gather, he needed to go touch someone else and then they would be 'it.' Alphonse looked over at his brother, wondering what he would do.

"Hey, shrimpy, are you gonna chase us or what?" A kid called out and Alphonse watched as his brother went red with rage. There was one thing you could never mention to Ed, and that was his height. He was very self-conscious about how small he was, especially compared to his little brother.

"Who are you calling shrimpy?" Edward roared and jumped forward. The kids scattered and laughed and Ed ran after them. Alphonse decided to start running too because he really did want to play now that his brother had joined in.

Edward couldn't catch any of the kids. They were simply running too fast, and he also couldn't focus on going after one particular kid. He was frustrated and wanted to make the one kid who called him shrimpy pay! So, he stopped, and a few kids noticed and stopped too. Before they could ask what was going on, he drew a circle on the pavement with chalk he always carried in his pant pocket and pressed his palms to the ground.

The kids watched in awe as the ground started to shake and a bridge formed out of the ground. Edward ran over the bridge to the child who had called him short. With a smug look on his face, he tapped him on the shoulder and then ran back over the bridge. "Tag, you're it!" He called over his shoulder.

But, the kid didn't move; he was too stunned. The other kids looked around at each other and then back to the bridge, wondering if they'd actually seen that happen. Alphonse watched too, worried that his brother had done something wrong. They probably weren't supposed to do their Alchemy at school.

"What is going on here?!"

The kids snapped their attention to their teacher, who was hurrying out to the playground. She came up to the bridge and touched it, unable to believe that she had watched a child create something like this.

"Edward did it!" A few kids said at the same time and pointed to the boy, who looked a little shocked and a little guilty. He knew he messed up, but was also surprised the other children had never seen some Alchemy before. What was the big deal?"

"Edward?" Miss Hawkeye spun around to look at him. She regarded him oddly, as though she wouldn't see a young boy standing there, but an experienced Alchemist. She had never known a single child of his age who was able to perform Alchemy, at least not of this scale.

"I'm sorry, Miss Hawkeye," he said bashfully. "I was just trying to win. I was careful, no one got hurt."

"So, you did do this?" She asked. "You can do Alchemy?"

"Alphonse can too."

"Brother!" Alphonse's face went red and he glared over at Edward. He hadn't wanted to get dragged into all of this. Miss Hawkeye turned her gaze on Alphonse, surprised that an even younger child could also perform Alchemy. She had been working with kids for a little while and almost nothing surprised her, but this revelation was so shocking, she didn't know how to regroup herself.

"Well, that's okay," she said slowly. Was it okay? Was it really? No, of course not! One of her students just built a bridge out of Alchemy in the school yard! Internally, the woman was freaking out, but she had to remain calm for her students. "But please, both of you, no Alchemy on the school grounds." The words were strange rolling off her tongue. It was as though she'd said "no driving a car on school grounds." The kids were just seven and eight, and she was already having to warn them against using Alchemy!

"Sorry, Miss Hawkeye," the boys said sincerely. Edward looked up at her. "Are you going to call Uncle Roy?" He knew their uncle would not be thrilled with them for this stunt, especially if they were in big trouble.

The woman studied them for a moment, knowing why he'd asked. She didn't want them to get in trouble and was stuck in a difficult position where she would have to explain that this was just the wrong time to use Alchemy. But, she didn't want to stifle them later on or make them feel like they were bad for learning something. Then again, the boys were so strong willed, she doubted they would stop using Alchemy just because of this.

"I do have to let him know," she said and their faces fell. "But I will explain that I'm not mad, just that this isn't the best place to be using Alchemy." The boys took some comfort in that and, since there was a little more time left for recess, Miss Hawkeye turned and left the kids. As she walked to the classroom, she saw the other kids crowd around the boys. They certainly thought the little demonstration was cool. At least, she figured, this was helping them make friends.

"Hello, may I please speak to Colonel Mustang? This is Miss Hawkeye, his nephews' teacher." She stood by her desk, the phone that was connected to the wall pressed to her ear. There was a brief pause and some shuffling before someone picked up the line.

"Colonel Mustang," answered a new, gruff voice.

"Hello, Colonel, this is Miss Hawkeye from the school. I was just calling because-"

"What shit did they pull this time?" Roy groaned and Riza was surprised to have been cut off like that. It was as though he'd expected for a while that he would get a call like this.

"Well, sir, I actually don't know how to tell you this," she replied after a moment of stunned silence. "I've never seen this before from my students…"

"My nephews are a very special case," Roy replied evenly. "There's little you could say that I would actually be surprised about."

Riza wasn't too sure about that. "Well, then sir, here it is… Edward performed… Alchemy. In the school yard, while playing tag."

There was a long silence before she heard Roy curse. "Goddamn brat." He mumbled to himself, probably figuring Riza couldn't hear. He returned to a normal speaking volume, "I'm sorry, Miss Hawkeye. Were there any damages? I'll be sure to have a stern conversation with him when he gets home today."

Riza was stunned. That was not the voice of a surprised man. In fact, he seemed very calm about this, as though he'd been expecting this very call for a while. "I'm sorry, sir, but did you hear what I said?"

"Yes, Edward performed Alchemy in the school yard," he replied, not sounding the least bit fazed. "Alphonse didn't, did he? He's pretty good about it, but sometimes his brother ropes him into things."

"Uh, no. No, sir, he didn't." Riza paused. "I'm sorry, but you know your nephews can perform Alchemy?"

"Yes, of course I know! But I told them not to use it anywhere else but at home." Roy replied simply.

"Wow." was all Riza could think of to say. "Those boys are something else."

"You're telling me," the man breathed out. "Anyway, I'm really sorry. I'll be sure to talk to them about this."

"No problem, sir," Riza said and then smirked. "I'm assuming this isn't the best time to tell you about how well they'd fit in at a gifted school in Central?" A joking tone was evident in her words, and she heard Roy blow into the phone in amusement.

"No, no," he said with a laugh in his voice. "Remember, normal. I need them to learn to be normal."

"With all due respect, sir, this is hardly normal."

"And that's why they're in school; to learn!" Now a full-fledged chuckle escaped his lips. "Thank you again, Miss Hawkeye. I assure you, it won't happen again. I must go now, though."

They said their goodbyes and Riza called the kids in from recess. As they filed back into the classroom, she looked over at the Elric boys as though she was looking at them for the first time. They really were special, and Riza suddenly felt very small. She could teach many kids, but she wasn't quite sure how to teach those particular two.

But maybe, Roy was onto something. She didn't need to teach them math and science and reading. She didn't have to drill formulas into their heads or be sure their test scores were up. As far as actual learning went, she could ride on their backs all the way to evaluations which, unfortunately, were all based on test scores. However, she did have something she could teach them: How to be a kid. Those boys traded their childhoods for the ability to create amazing things from Alchemy. Now, she had the chance to help give them a little piece back.


	4. Chapter 4

Roy was not thrilled with the boys for using Alchemy on school grounds, and they both promised again and again that they wouldn't. And, they held to their promise, though the other kids thought they were so cool and begged them to do something else in the following weeks. Although Edward especially loved to do exactly the opposite of what Roy told him to do, he was very good about not using his Alchemy abilities in school anymore, much to the dismay of his classmates

The weeks continued on and winter fell over the small town, coating the green hills with white snow. After classes and during breaks, the boys had fun using Alchemy to create snowmen and other sculptures out of snow and ice. Letting himself go for just a few moments every now and then, Roy would join in and use his flame alchemy to burn paths in the snow and ruin the sculptures. Although the boys pouted and complained when he did that, it was all in jest, as they would make a new one in just a few seconds. Within just a week of the first big snowfall of the season, the Mustang house was littered with all sorts of beautiful and funny snow creations.

On the other end of town, at the school, Riza had come up with a great solution to helping the boys achieve normalcy. She would first give them much more advanced worksheets but also asked them to help tutor the other kids who were struggling. It was a rough start, at least for Ed, who was easy to frustrate, but eventually, all of the kids in the class were passing with flying colors. By Christmas break, there was not one student who was failing in any subject, and most had very high marks.

The boys were doing well in trying to be normal and had made friends with both Winry and Mei, as well as the other kids in the class. Often, they would head up the hill to where Winry lived with her grandmother to play. Although a kind old woman, she had quite the temper that clashed with Edward's, and often when Roy would come pick them up, he could hear them arguing from a distance. But, the woman showed nothing but love to the boys, who knew what it was like for a child to lose their parents, as Winry had lost both of hers as well.

Roy was grateful for Rockbell's and for the times the boys would run over to their house. He loved his nephews, but he'd also never asked to be a parent, and although he felt guilty for feeling this way, he missed some of his peace and quiet. Not to mention, the two could get pretty destructive, and Roy was also grateful for things not being constantly set on fire in the house.

Around the middle of winter, the boys were staying the night at Winry's, and Roy marched along the snow laid path after a long day at work. It wasn't necessarily bad, and he hadn't gotten in trouble, but it was busy and tiring. He turned onto the main street and saw the light spilling from the bar. Music and laughter echoed out into the road and the man found himself pausing for just a moment. He hadn't been to the bar in a while, but boy could he use a drink! Besides, the boys wouldn't be home tonight, and he was a good drinker. He'd never get so drunk he wouldn't be able to get to them if trouble sprang up.

He walked into the crowded bar and took a seat on one of the stools. A woman he recognized but didn't know the name of took his order and set a beer down in front of him. He sipped it, feeling his shoulders relax as weight was lifted off of them.

A few patrons saw him and whispered to each other about his presence, but it was not malicious. Although they were cautious around members of the military, they knew his nephews were playing with the Rockbell girl, and her grandmother was highly respected in the community. If the Mustang family was alright by them, they must be a good family after all, even if they were a little private.

About a half hour passed and Roy was still nursing his first beer. He enjoyed the bustle around him compared to the emptiness of the house. He could think, but if his thoughts became too dark, he was easily able to redirect his focus.

Suddenly, the door opened and the bell above it tolled, and he found himself glancing over. There, in the doorway, stood Riza in a conservative, but beautiful white blouse and blue skirt. Roy could tell she was upset but was trying to hide it with a signature thin line that gave nothing away. She looked up and met his eyes, and looked a little surprised, but she smiled thinly at him.

There was a seat next to Roy and he gestured to it, honestly not expecting her to take him up on his offer. To his surprise, she came right over and hopped up on the seat. He glanced at her, wondering what she was doing at a small town bar on a Friday night, but she looked straight ahead at the bartender.

"Whatever's on tap," she ordered and within a minute, a tall glass of beer was placed in front of her.

They sat in silence for a long moment, neither wanting to be the first to talk. But, people didn't come to this bar because they'd had an easy day, and Roy was curious as to what brought her here. She was also wondering why the town's elusive Colonel was seated at a busy bar.

"So… that kind of day?" Roy asked awkwardly, stealing a glance at her. She shifted her gaze to him before shrugging.

"I had a date," she said after a long sip of beer and a long silence.

"How did it go?" He felt a little hurt she'd gone on a date, though he'd not thought much more about her. She was beautiful, yes, but he was in the military and had two rambunctious boys at home. Although ever a charmer, Roy had not been on many dates lately.

"It didn't," Riza grumbled ruefully. She narrowed her eyes, as though her drink was what offended her.

"Jean?"

Her eyes snapped up to meet his and she looked a little surprised. "How did you know?" It was a small town, but he'd only asked her out the night before, and Roy didn't strike her as a gossip.

"He does this to every young woman in town," Roy sighed. "Some of the old women too. Asks them out, forgets he asked them out in the first place and then cries to me about why he doesn't have a girlfriend. He's not a bad guy, just a little dense."

Riza stared at him a little longer and then shrugged, returning her attention to the gold liquid before her. Roy wondered if he should ask her more about how she was feeling about the missed, date, but she seemed just as content now to sit at the bar with him. Another silence passed over them, and Roy found himself feeling comfortable in her quietness. It was strange because silence in the presence of others usually unnerved him.

"So, did you like him?"

"Who?"

"Jean."

"Oh." She paused and then shrugged again. "I suppose. He seemed nice enough."

"He is."

Another pause. "So, what brings you to this bar. I told you my story. What's yours?"

Now it was Roy's turn to shrug as he finished off the last of his beer. "Rough day at work. I just needed a little break. The boys are staying at the Rockbell's tonight, so I figured I'd have a pint."

"How are the boys doing?" Riza asked politely, as she had not seen them in a month since school let out for the winter.

"Good. A pain in my ass as always," he smirked. "But healthy and happy."

"Are they still using…" her voice dropped just above a whisper, as though she was worried someone would care enough to overhear in the loud, crowded bar. "Alchemy?"

Roy glanced at her and nodded. "Yup. Getting better every day. They're going to be great Alchemists one day, mark my words. I just hope they find something better to do than join the military."

"That's strange," Riza noted, "Most military members want their families to continue the legacy. At least, the ones I've come across feel that way." But Roy shook his head fervently.

"No," he said a little harsher than he meant. "The military isn't a great path. Especially not as a State Alchemist."

"First-hand experience?" Riza asked, knowing a man as young as Roy didn't ascend to Colonel without a major bump in rank. It was also common knowledge that Roy was both one of the highest ranking military officers in the rural area they lived, and also an acclaimed State Alchemist.

"Yes." Roy paused and asked for another beer. Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe it was Riza's warm and inviting eyes, but he felt compelled to unload on her. She didn't judge him the way the other townspeople did. In fact, she seemed completely unfazed that he was in the military at all.

"Their mother was a State Alchemist too."

Riza's eyebrows went up and her eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yup. One of the best too," the man replied and took another swig of his newly poured beer. "Absolutely amazing. Better than me. Better than anyone. Then she got sent to Ishval."

"Oh," Riza said sadly. "She died there?"

"No. She was discharged after. High honors. She was a star, they were so sad when she left." He gazed at the table sadly while Riza stared at him. "She met a guy, a fucking shit stain of a person, and had Edward, then Al. Then he left. The kids don't even remember him, they were so young. She tried to make things work by herself, but she couldn't handle what happened in Ishval. So, one night, when the kids were, oh… three and four, she dropped them off at my place. I tried to get her to stay, but she left. That was the last I saw her alive."

"I'm so sorry," Riza said after a moment, though no words could do justice to how badly she felt for the man. Hesitantly, she placed a hand on his back and felt him shrug and exhale heavily.

"That's life, I guess. But I don't want that kind of life for Ed and Al. They deserve better than Alchemy."

Riza nodded, unsure of what else to say. Although the bar was loud and crowded, it felt so silent. "They're lucky to have you as an uncle," she said weakly after a long moment. He straightened up and looked at her, a sad smile lingering on his lips.

"Thanks, Miss Hawkeye. It's much appreciated."

"Riza. Just Riza is fine."

"Then thank you, Riza." He sighed again, trying to get all the emotion out of his system. He glanced at her empty beer glass and a mischievous smirk replaced the sad look on his face. "Well, Riza, I'm going to have to insist I buy you another beer."

She smirked over at him and laughed. "Well, if you insist."

* * *

 _Thank you as always for the lovely words! I also wanted to write this note as a reminder that this story is loosely based on the movie Gifted, so that is why I changed how Trisha died. Some things will more closely follow the movie, others will more closely follow FMA. I'll just pick what flows the best as I write!_


	5. Chapter 5

_New chapter, hooray! I'm starting to get busy, so posts will be a little more spaced out. Also, for the person who asked, yes both boys are in the same "grade". I envision the school like a very small, very rural area school house, where the kids in the "grade" are of varying ages, since there's not enough room/money/teachers to break them up further. Also, Roy taught them both the same stuff since they're just a year apart, so they're at the same level (granted, that level is far beyond the other kids lol). Anyway, enjoy!_

* * *

The morning light peeked in through the window and bore into Roy's eyes. He groaned and placed his hands over his face, as though that would be enough to send him back to sleep. His head was pounding, and he knew he should have stopped at two beers, but he'd gotten so caught up in talking to Riza that he lost track of the glasses piling up in front of him.

He rolled over, turning his back to the sun and opened his eyes to find someone lying just inches away. He was startled, and then his memories came crashing back. They drank until the bar closed and then stumbled back to Roy's place and then he woke up. But, looking down, he saw that he was naked and knew that much, much more than innocently falling into bed happened.

Riza was still asleep, her golden hair falling around her, hand under her head, and mouth parted just slightly. A bit of drool lingered on her lips, but Roy thought she looked especially beautiful asleep in the morning sunlight. He placed a hand on her head and ran his fingers through her hair, which caused her to stir. Confused, and also nursing quite the headache herself, she opened her eyes and looked right up at Roy.

Her eyes went wide with shock and she jumped back, grabbing at the sheets to cover herself up. "Oh my god!" she gasped and sat up with a wince from a throb in her head. "Colonel Mustang?" She couldn't believe she'd woken up in his bed. She glanced at his bare chest and then down at her own bare body and her face turned red. "Did we…? Did you…?" She looked between the two of them, barely able to form a coherent question.

Roy blinked at her and then laughed. It was all he could do in the situation and it just made Riza even angrier. Her eyes morphed into a glare and she pursed her lips, but Roy didn't stop laughing. "Sorry, sorry," he managed to get out. "I guess we did, huh? I don't remember any of it, but I bet it was great!"

"And extremely inappropriate!" Riza yelled at him. "I'm your nephews' teacher, Colonel! If the principal found out…!"

"Relax, Miss Hawkeye," he smiled, a charming smile that almost made her forget her rage. "It's winter break and we're all the way at my place. We'll wait til afternoon, you leave, and if anyone sees, we'll just say you were dropping off books for the kids. No big deal."

She stared at him a moment longer, as though she didn't quite believe him, but slowly her shoulder relaxed. She leaned back against the bed, placing a hand on her forehead. Roy smirked over at her, but she did her best to ignore him. If anyone found out… she could lose her job!

"Want something to eat?" When Riza looked over, Roy was in boxers and picking a shirt off the floor. He brought it to his nose and took a sniff, thought for a moment, and then shrugged as he put it on.

"Do you do your own laundry?" Riza countered with her own question and raised an eyebrow. Roy smiled over at her.

"Sometimes I get the boys to do it for me."

"'Sometimes?'"

"It's a tough negotiation. Now, eggs and bacon or pancakes?"

"You cook?"

Roy laughed at the question. "You ask too many questions. You want breakfast or not?"

"Alright, alright," Riza smirked and laid back. They might have had an… interesting night, but she wasn't about to uncover herself now. She waited until the door was closed before getting up and gathering her clothes.

She was halfway to the bedroom door when she heard a bang and the sound of two young, excited voices at the front of the house.

"Uncle Roy!"

"Holy shit, Roy you're cooking! Did something happen? Are you feeling okay?"

"Hey! Language!"

"Uh…. English?"

There was a heavy sigh and Roy didn't say anything else for awhile but instead let the kids go on about their sleepover at the Rockbell's. Riza's hand lingered on the door, her mind racing. The kids were home already, and she was half dressed and in Roy's bedroom. She had no idea what to do or where to go and hoped the man was also thinking about how to sneak her out.

Roy was indeed freaking out quite a bit. He hadn't expected the kids home so soon, or maybe he had slept in later than he originally thought. Either way, he had to try to get Riza out without the boys noticing. They already seemed rather suspicious that he was cooking breakfast, something he rarely did.

"Why don't you guys go back outside and make some snowmen?" He asked. They gave him a weird look.

"Isn't breakfast almost done?" Edward asked, standing on the tips of his toes to peer into the pan on the stove. Roy pushed him back irritably, knowing the kid was much more perceptive than he gave him credit for.

"Who says this is for you?" the man asked.

"You're making eggs, bacon, and pancakes for just yourself?" Alphonse asked suspiciously, also trying to see what was on the counter. He had an easier time than Edward did, being just a bit taller than him.

He felt bad that Riza wouldn't get the enjoy a nice breakfast but knew nothing could be done. "Go set the table," he grumbled, and the kids did so, though they weren't sure what they had done to attract his ire. They sat and ate, and Roy was unable to keep himself from glancing over at his bedroom door, though he tried to be a little less conspicuous. He also tried to think of a good reason to get the boys out of the house so he could help Riza escape without them seeing.

"Hey, can you go back to the Rockbell's for me?" he asked as they cleared the table. He set a few slices of bacon aside for Riza, though he claimed they were for his lunch.

"Why?" Edward asked, raising his eyebrow.

"I need… sugar." Roy thought up as he positioned himself in front of the cabinet the sugar was in. Edward frowned at him and Roy could tell he was doing a very bad job of making himself sound less suspicious.

"For what?"

"We're just out, I want to have some before I need it."

"Can't you just go into town?"

"The Rockbell's are closer."

"So you do need it now!"

Roy smacked his forehead with his palm, his temper beginning to flare. Why, oh why, could his sister have not had obedient children, instead of these two who questioned his every move!? He then took a breath and exhaled, telling himself that he loved his nephews very much and no, he didn't actually want to set them on fire. He just needed them out of the house, now.

"I want to bake a cake, okay?" he finally came up with. "To, uh, celebrate."

"Celebrate what?" Alphonse asked, his ears perking at the sound of a delicious dessert.

"Winter." Roy finally decided as his mind went through how the hell he was going to get a cake put together. He didn't even know how to make a real cake!

Edward looked like he had many more questions for the man, but Alphonse was sold on the cake. He grabbed his jacket and took his brother's wrist, spewing excitement by the way he bounced up and down. "Come on, brother, we have to get that sugar! We're going to get cake!"

Looking into his brother's eyes, Edward realized he wouldn't be able to question their uncle any further. He glanced back at Roy, who was smiling innocently and narrowed his eyes at him. He knew he was up to something, but his brother was already dragging him out the door.

"We'll be back soon!" Alphonse called and Roy let out a very heavy breath when the door slammed. He ran to his bedroom and threw the door open. Riza had been standing there and she placed a hand on her head when she saw the coast was clear.

"Well, that was… exciting," she decided as she pulled on the rest of her clothes and checked to be sure she had everything. "So, do you even know how to make a cake?"

"No. I was planning on suddenly falling sick if I didn't have everything we needed. And if we do have everything, I'll just use Alchemy." Roy admitted as they crossed into the kitchen. Riza rolled her eyes and found a pencil and paper and began taking down some notes. After a moment she thrust the paper at Roy.

"It's a cake recipe. Hopefully, you have everything you need." Riza sighed. "You know you can't use Alchemy for everything, right? I mean, really, baking a cake?"

Roy laughed. "I specialize in flame Alchemy," he admitted. "So, my cooking usually ends up… burned." Riza caught herself between a laugh and a surprised look, so she sort of wheezed out a hitched breath.

"Flame Alchemy?" she asked, her eyebrows raised and a shocked expression on her lips. "That's rare."

"I had the best teacher in the world," Roy said with a smile, though his sentence was short and it was obvious he wanted to end the conversation there. "Anyway," he started, moving towards the woman. "I really hope to see you again."

Riza took a step back, a sly smile on her face. "Oh, you will. Almost every day, in fact, when school starts up."

Roy took another step towards her. "That's all?" he asked coyly.

"Of course, sir, anything else would be inappropriate." Riza was backed against the wall, but she was very comfortable there. Playfulness danced in her eyes and her own smile matched Roy's.

The man placed his hand against the wall to her left and took her other hand. "I have to say, I'm not much for formalities."

"Oh, but you're in the military. Aren't they all about formalities over there?"

"I'm a black sheep, you know? A free rider. A-"

And it was in that moment that the door flung open with a "We're home!" from Alphonse. The last syllable died on his lips as the boys looked at their uncle in a very… compromising position with their teacher. The adults looked down at their, Roy with wide eyes, and Riza with a hand covering her mouth.

"Um, did you invite Miss Hawkeye over for cake?" Alphonse asked innocently, the silence making him very uncomfortable. For whatever reason, he and Ed both felt like they had done something wrong, but that couldn't be right since they weren't even home to get in trouble!

"Uh…" Sensing an out, Roy stepped away with a slight laugh. Riza looked on, wondering what Roy was going to say. "Yes. Yes, I did. Now, did you get the sugar?"

Alphonse smiled and nodded, and Roy was grateful for one agreeable child. Edward, on the other hand, pouted and glared. "Bullshit you invited Miss Hawkeye!" He blurted out, much to the ire of his uncle, who thought he was in the clear.

"Edward!" Roy yelled. "What have I told you about swearing?" He didn't need Miss Hawkeye thinking he was a bad uncle, though judging by the laugh she was trying to hide, she found it more endearing than offensive.

The young boy rolled his eyes and looked at the ground. "You told me, 'Don't fucking swear Edward,'" he answered with all the honesty of a typical eight-year-old.

Roy's face turned a bright shade of red as Riza was unable to hold back her laughter. He muttered for the boys to get into the kitchen and get to work figuring out how to make a cake. Turning back to Riza, he expected her to bolt, but she took a step towards the kitchen as well. Seeing his confused face, she smiled.

"What? I'm not going to let you burn down your house since you seem so determined to make that cake." She then waltzed off and Roy stood in shock as she gently helped the boys work with the ingredients.

He couldn't help but stand back and watch as she guided the boys through the steps of making the cake. She helped Edward pour the mix in, and then held Alphonse's little hands as they cracked the eggs. She even giggled as Edward tried to transmute the flour, but ended up getting it all over the kitchen, and themselves, instead. Roy came in and helped a little, but Riza was the real star of the show, and the boys loved it. In fact, while the boys did love living with their uncle, this was the most they had ever laughed in this house. They adored having Riza help and seemed to forget that she was their teacher. Today, she was just a friend.

Roy also found himself dazzled by the usually stoic teacher becoming so lively and fun. Damn, he wished he remembered more of the night before.

"You really should consider a school in Central," Riza said as they stood outside in the chilly winter air. They had eaten some cake and the boys fell right asleep after a day of play and a meal.

"They need to do more of..." Roy waved his hands around, trying to encompass the feeling. "Of that. You know, being a kid. That's not Central."

Riza nodded knowingly. She never intended her comment to be taken to heart by Roy, but every time they saw each other, she felt the need to bring it up. "You're doing a good job," she said. "They love you."

Roy smiled, though he'd never admit how much those words meant to him. "They're good kids. They've been through a lot that they didn't deserve to go through."

Riza shrugged. "We all have been through tough things. We keep going though." She looked like she wanted to say more, but instead, she backed up a step towards the road. "Anyway, see you later, Colonel."

"I'll see you soon?" he asked.

"In the schoolyard!" And then, with a smirk and a wink, she was off.


	6. Chapter 6

_So sorry it took so long to get this next chapter out! I don't like to put out a chapter without having the next one written, and I got a little writer's block and also a little distracted with other writings! But I'm back on track, hopefully!_

 _Also, a warning: I have a... problem... where everything I touch turns to angst. Literally everything, and this is no exception. So this chapter is pretty chill but next one gets a liiiiittle angsty. Just a warning, I'll be sure to keep in some comedy and fluff._

 _Anyway, enjoy!_

* * *

"Ed, you need to get a haircut!" Roy mused as he tugged on the golden blonde hair. It was early in the morning and by a small miracle, the boys were dressed and ready for school. Since Miss Hawkeye started giving them extra things to do and more responsibilities the previous semester, school was much more interesting to them.

Edward was sat on a stool in the kitchen while Roy haphazardly pulled the boy's hair into a ponytail. Alphonse was on the couch, his nose in an alchemy book, and he almost laughed at the idea of his brother ever deciding to cut his hair. Edward stuck his lip out in response to his uncle's comment.

"I don't wanna," he said stubbornly, crossing his arms. Roy sighed.

"Look at your brother. He's gotten his hair cut and it looks nice."

"Yeah, and you've gotten your hair cut before and it looks like shit."

Roy felt his temper flare and his eye twitch. "Why you little…" he growled and gave his nephew's pony tail a sharp tug in retaliation. Edward cried out but didn't say anything else because he knew the pinch was very well deserved. Next time he wouldn't insult his uncle when the man had a fistful of his hair in his hand!

"Alphonse, did you eat breakfast?" Roy asked, feeling satisfied after hearing the little yelp from Edward. The younger boy looked up sheepishly and shrugged.

"Maybe."

Goddamn, these kids. "It's a yes or no question, Al. You either ate or you didn't."

"I forget." Alphonse had gotten too wrapped up in the next chapter of his advanced Alchemy book the library had gotten in, that he didn't know if he ate or not. Judging by how long he'd been sitting on the couch, it was pretty safe to say he hadn't.

"You've been awake for an hour, how could you not know what you've done today? Geeze!" Roy sighed. "Go eat something, okay? We're leaving in a few minutes and I'm not in the mood for another call from Miss Hawkeye asking why the two of you are so hungry." He peered down at Ed. "Did you eat?"

Edward smirked at him, and Roy immediately knew not to trust anything out of his mouth. "I dunno." the boy said innocently. Roy glared and lightly pushed him off the stool.

"Eat!" He ordered as he walked to his room to grab his coat. The boys couldn't see, but a small smile lingered on his lips. Even in their most annoying moments, they were pretty funny kids, and he secretly loved that he got to spend this time with them. Of course, he had to be the cool uncle still, and couldn't let them know that!

Edward and Alphonse grabbed some bagels that were on the kitchen counter and before long, it was time to head off to school. Roy sent them off with a wink and a smirk directed at their teacher, who just smiled back at him knowingly. They never talked about the… incident the month before, and she dodged each and every attempt of his asking her out again. But, as far as the small town gossip mill was concerned, she wasn't dating anyone else, so he felt that was a win.

Roy then trekked back home, as the office was closed for the day for routine cleaning and inspections. He was to work on paperwork at home and then be ready to go with all the needed documents first thing the next morning.

Although he never told anyone, he hated the quiet of the house when the boys weren't around. Edward and Alphonse, even when they were reading their books, created a lively atmosphere that was difficult to part from. Although grateful for the peace and quiet so he could work, Roy found himself wishing for the laughter and shouting that followed the kids wherever they went.

A knock at the door startled the man, who looked up from his half done paperwork in confusion. He never ever got visitors. In fact, Riza was the last visitor he ever remembered having since Trisha dropped off the kids all those years ago. He stood from the couch, suddenly conscious about all the holes burned into it and the messiness of his home.

"Hello?" he asked, opening the door. A very tall man in military blue stood before him. He was oddly shaped, obviously strong and very large, but he had a bald head except for a tiny curl of blonde. He also seemed to almost sparkle, though Roy couldn't tell why. "Uh, can I help you?"

"My name is Major Armstrong," came the deep reply. "And you are Colonel Mustang?"

"I am. I'm a Colonel at the office here," Roy added, his mouth feeling a little numb with the obvious information. But, he somehow felt that reiterating that would help his case should he be in trouble.

"Yes," the man mused. "And you are in the care of two boys? Edward and Alphonse…" He checked a piece of paper that he dug out from his pocket. "... Elric?"

Roy's eyes narrowed and he felt himself becoming far more guarded. Unconsciously, he took a step back from the man, ready to fight or run if need be. He didn't care if he was military, anyone strange asking after the boys were going to get the same response. "Yes," Roy said, his tone rising to a defensive question.

"And they know Alchemy?"

Cold shock flowed through Roy. How could anyone know that? The boys kept that a secret. "Yes," he said, knowing he couldn't lie. "Better, they read about it."

"Can they practice?"

"Not well. They're children, Major."

"Yes. Seven and eight?"

"Yes."

There was a long pause and a heavy silence. Roy felt extremely uneasy and the man before him looked a little confused. Roy realized, as he allowed himself to reevaluate the situation, that the man didn't quite know why he had been sent here and wasn't really sure who he was asking after.

"I'm sorry for disturbing you, sir," Armstrong said, letting out a sigh that seemed to deflate him by about two feet. "I was asked to gather this information by my superiors. I don't know why." He stared oddly at the man. "You're the Flame Alchemist? And your boys know Alchemy? At that age? That's amazing!" He smiled warmly, and Roy found himself relaxing, but only a little bit.

"Yes, I am and yes, they're practicing." The raven haired man replied. "They're really not very good. But, you don't know why someone would send you to gather this information? It's not illegal to teach children Alchemy. Irresponsible, maybe, but I'm not really up for any parent of the year awards anyway."

"Well, if they've heard about them all the way in Central, I think you're doing a good job," Armstrong said, meaning it in a friendly way, though Roy bristled at the idea that Central knew about the boys.

"Oh, well thanks," He replied, trying to accept the compliment as normally as he could.

The taller man smiled and glanced around the home and his eyes landed back on Roy's. The smile left his eyes after a moment and a frown formed on his lips. "Sir, may I be frank?" he asked, reverting to rank formalities.

"Uh, yeah, sure."

"Be careful. I don't know why I was asked to come here, and I can't ask any more questions because I don't know what they have in mind. So, be careful."

Roy found himself nodding. "Thank you, Major," he said. "I really appreciate you giving me the heads up." He opened his mouth to say more to the man, but the phone began ringing. Roy glanced back into the room and then back at the Major, and he didn't know if he should go answer it or stay and be polite.

Thankfully, Major Armstrong made the decision for him. "I should be going now," He said, saluted, and then was gone.

Roy hurried to the phone, again feeling rather uncomfortable because people rarely called his house. "Hello, uh… Colonel Mustang… Uh, Roy Mustang," He answered, unable to spit out an appropriate greeting.

"Colonel, thank God." A woman's voice filled his ear and Roy felt his stomach drop.

"Riza?"

"Yes, it's me."

Shit. "What happened?"

"I got a call from Central. There's someone who wants to come meet Edward and Alphonse. They're coming down today, they'll be here any moment."

"I just had a Major from Central come to my door about the boys."

There was a pause. "Someone must have spread word of their abilities to Central," Riza said quietly.

"You didn't tell any of those connections about them did you?" Roy asked, his tone taking on a much harsher edge than he meant. There was another long moment before Roy whispered. "Sorry."

"It's okay, I understand. No, I've told no one, I promise, sir."

There was a heavy pause broken only by the sound of Roy sighing. Breathing into the line caused a cackling sound and Riza pulled the phone just slightly from her ear, but was careful to listen in case the man spoke again. When he didn't, she too let out a sigh.

"Sir, I want you to know I will protect those boys with everything I have," she said earnestly, and Roy found himself surprised by her protective tone. Of course, he appreciated her dedication as a teacher, but there was something more in her voice that told him she was used to protecting all kinds of people, most especially those she loved.

"Thank you," he replied, feeling the need to say something, but not quite knowing what. A thank you didn't really cover how grateful he was that she was his nephew's teacher and that she would protect them.

The two hung up, and Riza went back to the classroom where her students were working on an art project. As she moved to the front of the room, she tapped the Elric brothers on their shoulders and motioned for them to follow her to her desk. The boys, who had been working on some chemical equations instead of art, exchanged a confused glance but followed obediently.

"Yes, Miss Hawkeye?" Alphonse asked politely, but Edward was much brasher.

"We finished our art okay? So we're allowed to work on our homework, right?" Edward asked loudly, causing a few kids in the room to glance up at them. They quickly returned to their work and Riza narrowed her eyes as a warning for the boys to be quieter.

"No," she said in a low voice, hoping they would match her volume. "I need to talk to you two about something very important, and you have to listen very carefully and do everything I say, alright?"

Her words made even Ed fall silent as the boys realized how serious their teacher was. Since they were smart, intuitive kids, they knew that something had happened. Slowly, they nodded, anxiously awaiting her directions.

"A man from the military is going to come to class today," she explained. "He is from Central. He wants to talk to you two about Alchemy. They know you can practice it, but don't know the extent. You are to tell them you only know a little, that you're not very good. If they ask you to demonstrate, make a small toy out of wood or something, but don't do a very good job. Do you understand?"

It would be hard for the boys, especially Edward, to swallow their pride to pretend to not be very skilled at what they've been studying for almost the entirety of their short lives. But, seeing their teacher's eyes hardened with earnest and seriousness, they nodded and vowed to do what they were told.

"Good." Her eyes softened a little and a small smile graced her lips, though it was tight with worry for the children. She opened her mouth to say more, but a knock at the door startled her. She shooed the boys to their seats with one more frantically whispered command to act normal and opened the door to greet the same Major who had appeared at Mustang's house.

"Hello, you must be the Major from Central. Welcome to our classroom," Riza greeted, trying to push down the knot forming in her stomach. She felt like she was shaking and hoped that her outward appearance portrayed her are more stoic than nervous. Major Armstrong greeted her politely and didn't seem to notice the thoughts racing around her head.

"I just came to have a quick chat with the Elric boys," his deep voice stated and he glanced over at the two kids who were now standing politely. Riza gave them a slight nod and they walked up to the large man.

"You're huge!" Edward blurted out and Alphonse harshly elbowed him in the side. But the Major laughed, a deep and jovial laugh that actually made Riza a little more relaxed. She was decent at reading people and could tell he meant no harm. He was just doing his job.

"We can move to the teacher's lounge," She said. "The class is just working on a project and no one else should be there." She turned to her class and instructed them to keep working and be good, and then showed the Major and the two boys the way to the small lounge on the other end of the hallway.

"My time is short, so I'll be brief," Major Armstrong said once they were seated around a table. The table was far too large for the two boys but far too small for the large man. It was almost comical seeing how Armstrong towered over everyone, including the table set.

"I was sent here because we received word that two boys in this village are extremely gifted in Alchemy, and I was told to go meet them," he explained. "To my understanding, those two boys are you." He peered down at the brothers, who shifted nervously in their chairs.

"We're not very good," Alphonse managed out and Edward nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, we're just kids!" Edward said.

"I see. How long have you been practicing Alchemy?"

"Like a year." Edward lied. The words slipped off his tongue before he could even stop himself. Roy was always telling the boys not to lie, and he looked at the Major, wondering if the man could tell. But, he just nodded, and Edward was excited that it worked. It was also pretty cool to be explicitly told to lie.

"What can you do with your Alchemy?" the Major asked.

"Just make little toys. Change things around a little. Not much else." Alphonse was the one who answered that question and felt the same thrill Edward did when the Major accepted his response as fact.

"Can you show me?"

The boys glanced at each other and got off their chairs. It would be difficult for them to pretend to be terrible at Alchemy after years of intense study. But, they put their hands to the floor and tried their best. Or, in this case, their worst.

The floor began to glow with an eerie blue light, and Riza and the Major watched on as the boys each crafted their own small, cruddy little toy out of the hardwood floor. Ed's was a little horse with the front right leg cracked, and Alphonse made a dog but forgot the left ear and tail. Riza let out a sigh of relief when she saw what the boys made. She had never been so happy to see such bad Alchemy in her life.

"I see," the Major mused and then stood. "Well, if you continue practicing, you'll be great Alchemists in no time! I look forward to seeing you complete the State Alchemist Exam in a decade or so!" He flashed them an encouraging smile and the boys found themselves at ease and smiling back.

"We're going to be the best Alchemists you've ever seen!" Edward said with all the enthusiasm and confidence of an eight-year-old as he jumped up. That produced another deep laugh from the Major, who then thanked the teacher and the boys for their time.

Edward and Alphonse went ahead to class, but as Riza showed the Major out, he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I spoke to their uncle today." he said, a frown hiding behind his blonde mustache.

"Oh?" Riza asked, trying to sound like this was the first time she was hearing this information.

"Yes, those boys… Central wants something to do with them. I'm not sure what, but… If I were you, I'd keep a close eye on them." He glanced at her and then looked out over the hills surrounding the school. "They're not much good at Alchemy now, but I can tell those boys are special."

"They are charming," Riza said noncommittally. "I'll be sure to watch out for them, Major. Thank you for stopping by."

The Major nodded and began walking down the long road towards the train station on the other end of the town. Riza stood and watched until she couldn't see his large form anymore and then turned and went back to her classroom.


End file.
